Baker’s Delight

Baker’s Delight

We all know how delicious those superfoods can be especially when cacao and chia meet, marry and have baby muffins with a whole bunch of other stuff. Now if you’re of the gluten free variety and ditching the spelt, wheat and other rising stars then chances are you might be sprinkling a few pinches of baking powder or cream of tartar into your magical mix.

So let me level the playing field when it comes to chemical leavening. You’ll need to have your science hat on for this. OK?

YeastAccording to my main man on the shelf Harold McGee – no relation to Bobby – and his wonderful world of On Food and Cooking (a must for every blossoming cook – yep even if you’re a raw food enthusiast), yeast produces carbon dioxide slowly and will leave you with a deflated cake – and ego – as the gas can escape quickly once the resting or fermentation period takes place. So this is where chemical leavening kicks in. Harold reckons that it exploits the reaction between the pH compounds – acid and alkaline – and creates the same yeast producing gas, carbon dioxide.

Baking PowderNow, the alkaline part is sodium bicarbonate NaHCO3 a.k.a. ‘carb soda’, Bicarbonate/Baking Soda or Baking Powder. It’s non-toxic and tasteless according to Harold. So if we have a batter or dough made with a sour starter like yoghurt or sour milk containing lactic acid and we add the alkaline sodium bicarbonate we will get the chemical leavening reaction that causes bubbles in the wet mixture to expand and the bread will rise.Ok, just because “‘carb soda” – that’s how my Nan, Evie used to say it, bless her – don’t think you can go scoffing it by the bucketful to make you more alkaline. You have to eat vegies for that, or you may be in danger of creating a high alkalosis condition requiring immediate placement of a breathing tube and mechanical breathing support. Not fun.

From a health perspective you also do not want any pesky sodium aluminium sulphate added to your bicarb. No, no, no. Why? Well, aluminium is dodgy. We know that. Paul Pitchford, my food as medicine mentor and author of Healing with Whole Foods reckons it’s the kryptonite of the food world. Well actually I said that, but he reckons it’s super strong and leeches out of EVERYTHING, which is why we should steer clear of all aluminium lined tetra packs, cans and tin foil.

Cream of TartarPotassium bitartrate KHC4H4O6 is tartaric acid a common fast acting acid salt and will often have sodium aluminium sulphate added Na2SO4 Al2(SO4)3. It’s a by-product of wine making caused by the crystallisation in wine casks during the fermentation of grape juice. It’s sold commercially as a white, acid, crystalline solid or powder and is also used in the tinning of metals and as a component of laxatives.

I wouldn’t be giving it to small people – would you?

So that’s your culinary science lesson for now and don’t worry, there won’t be a test after class 😉

If you want to know more highly useful information like this then buy yourself a copy of my fabulous book The Healing Feeling.

Food as Medicine Masterclass Melbourne April 30

Before nutrition became trendy, before kale became the superfood superstar, and before the green juice Instagram selfie was ever a ‘thing’, there was Sam Gowing, spreading the word on healthy cuisine and all that it encompasses. Join her on Sunday 30 April from 11am – 3pm for an intimate food as medicine masterclass in her hometown of Melbourne.

This intimate food as medicine masterclass focuses on the healing properties of native Australian, Ayurvedic, TCM & Japanese culinary wisdom. Discover why black chia seeds are trending as a superfood, why slippery foods are much gentler on the intestinal tract than others, get tips on matching up food that benefits your bio-individuality, especially for the lungs, kidneys and liver. Learn how to kick start your metabolism and why fresh turmeric is her wonder food.

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Hello! I’m Sam.

I am a chef, clinical nutritionist, author and mentor with a Le Cordon Bleu Master of Gastronomic Tourism degree. I live on the pristine surf coast of beautiful Byron Bay, on the most eastern tip of the Australian mainland. I create spa menus for luxury hotels & health retreats worldwide, and develop signature products for the marketplace. I have been teaching food as medicine in my Byron Bay Cooking School and big city events for nearly 20 years. My other passion is helping women discover their inner entrepreneur so they too, can shine and be in control of a life they love to lead.

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